Personal View site logo
Using the same focal length, problematic?
  • I love my 25mm Olympus lens and want to use my EM5 mkii for some short documentary work. Instead of buying a bunch more primes like the, 17mm and 45mm or even some older cheaper OM lenses or getting in my mind an inferior zoom like 14-42mm olympus. I wondered about just using the 25mm cause I can get close ups, wides and mid shots if i move a bit more. Personally I prefer this to a shot which is zoomed.

    But the question is for the viewer what affect does it have using the same focal length all the time with no variety, of course i would have close ups, wide shots etc mixing it up but is there a problem with using the same prime? I wonder what the affect it has on the viewer? boring? etc I do recognise extreme lens would make a big difference i.e. using a 12mm for close ups, but I'm talking about a 25mm on 4/3 which technically is a normal lens.

  • 3 Replies sorted by
  • Not an issue.

    Many great films have been made with just one or two lenses. Some great filmmakers spent most or all of their career just with a single lens. Ozu almost always used a 50mm, so did Robert Bresson, to give a couple examples.

  • Good point, I know Ozu a little but i'll have to look into Robert Bresson.

  • On an APS-C, if I had to use only one lens it would be a 28mm or 25mm, so I think it's doable. I've done a lot with a 28mm on a GH2. I'd test it out and see what you like.